In vain do they worship me, teaching human precepts as doctrines. Matthew 15:9, NRSV.
My soul is much burdened, for I know what is before us. Every conceivable deception will be brought to bear upon those who have not a daily, living connection with God. Satan’s angels are wise to do evil, and they will create that which some will claim to be advanced light and will proclaim it as new and wonderful; yet while in some respects the message may be truth, it will be mingled with human inventions and will teach for doctrine the commandments of men…. Many apparently good things will need to be carefully considered with much prayer, for they are specious devices of the enemy to lead souls in a path that lies so close to the path of truth that it will be scarcely distinguishable from it….
A new order of things has come into the ministry. There is a desire to pattern after other churches, and simplicity and humility are almost unknown. The young ministers seek to be original, and to introduce new ideas and new plans for labor. Some open revival meetings, and by this means call large numbers into the church. But when the excitement is over, where are the converted ones? Repentance and confession of sin are not seen. The sinner is entreated to believe in Christ and accept Him, without regard to one’s past life of sin and rebellion. The heart is not broken. There is no contrition of soul. The supposed converted ones have not fallen upon the Rock, Christ Jesus….
The Lord desires His servants today to preach the old gospel doctrine, sorrow for sin, repentance, and confession…. Sinners must be labored for, perseveringly, earnestly, wisely, until they shall see that they are transgressors of God’s law, and shall exercise repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ….
Workers should not feel that it is a virtue to stand apart because they do not see all minor points in exactly the same light. If they agree on fundamental truths, they should not differ and dispute about matters of little real importance. To dwell on perplexing questions, that after all are of no vital consequence, tends to call the mind away from truths vital to the saving of the soul….
Unbelievers are critical, and they seek to frame some excuse for not receiving the truth as it is in Jesus. Where these differences exist among us, those who stand outside will say, “It will be time enough for us to believe as you do when you can agree among yourselves as to what constitutes truth.” Thus the ungodly take advantage of the divisions and controversies among Christians.—Manuscript 82, 1894 (The Review and Herald, November 4, 1965).
Christ Triumphant p. 362
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for some friends who are having financial troubles because they are not getting paid for their work. Anon
—-Please pray for E and children. The devil is trying to cause problems in many ways. R
—- Imogen woke up this morning at home with a loss of motion in her left arm (and somewhat in her leg). We have taken her to the Emergency Department and she is currently waiting for her neurosurgery team to decide what to do. She has been in pain especially at night time. We have started fasting her in case she has to have a general anesthetic for an MRI or other type of scan – possibly later tonight. She is 3-weeks post spinal surgery. Please pray that there is no permanent damage and that the cancer has not grown.
It’s a bit traumatizing being back in hospital again at Christmas time (which is the time of year when she was diagnosed with glioblastoma in Dec 2019).
God is good and we put our faith and trust in Him, and are believing in Him for full healing for Imogen. Jeanie
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Dear Friends,
I was on the internet recently when I came across a prayer request. As I read the responses, I saw one reply that was different than all the others. This man spoke harshly to the writer of the request telling her that she had no business bothering God with such and small and unimportant prayer request. I was shocked! That man’s idea of God was skewed and did not understand God’s love at all. I wrote a reply explaining to him that God loves to have us come to Him with our needs and even our wants. His reply what I expected–not at all nice. So sad.
How good God is! No prayer is too small for Him to answer. Indeed, He yearns for us to ask Him for help in every aspect of our life. Jesus bids us, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?0 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” “If two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Matt 7:7-11; 18:19, 20 Think of it! What power there is awaiting us if we will only ask! Yet, how seldom do we ask Him. How rarely do we allow the Great Burden Bearer to bear our burdens, to untangle the mess we’ve got ourselves into, to lead us in the path which we should go, to help us in the daily routine of our life.
Sometimes we pray and our prayers do not seem to be answered. God answers, but He does not always answer in the way we have specified. He may say, “wait awhile” or “that would not be good for you, here is something you really need.” James explains, “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” James 4:3 So, we see there are guidelines for answered prayer. “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.” “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” John 14:13, 14; 15:7-11 “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.” James 1:5, 6
May we bring our joys, our sorrows, our problems, our needs, whether large or small to the Throne of Grace is my prayer.
Rose

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